The embodiments described herein relate to calcium methylglycine diacetic acid salt (“Ca-MGDA salt”) particles including the production thereof and implementation in subterranean operations.
Treatment fluids can be used in a variety of subterranean treatment operations. Such treatment operations can include, without limitation, drilling operations, stimulation operations, production operations, remediation operations, sand control treatments, and the like. As used herein, the terms “treat,” “treatment,” “treating,” and grammatical equivalents thereof refer to any subterranean operation that uses a fluid in conjunction with achieving a desired function and/or for a desired purpose. Use of these terms does not imply any particular action by the treatment fluid or a component thereof, unless otherwise specified herein. More specific examples of illustrative treatment operations can include drilling operations, fracturing operations, gravel packing operations, acidizing operations, scale dissolution and removal operations, sand control operations, consolidation operations, and the like.
Diverting agents may be used in a variety of treatment fluids for subterranean operations. Such operations include, but are not limited to, drilling, stimulation treatments (e.g., fracturing treatments and matrix acidizing treatments), and cementing operations. Traditionally, treatment fluids used for diverting include a viscous liquid or a plurality of particles that are placed in portions of the formation with greatest permeability. Once in that portion of the formation, the viscous fluid or particles physical/mechanical reduce fluid flow therethrough, thereby diverting the remaining treatment fluid or a subsequent treatment fluid to another portion of the subterranean formation.
After the treatment is complete and diversion is no longer needed, fluid flow may be returned to that portion of the formation by reducing the viscosity of the viscous fluid or removing the diverting particles. Typically, an acidic solution (e.g., greater than about 5% HCl) is used to reduce the viscosity of the fluid or degrade particulate diverting agents. However, conventional diverting agents may be difficult to remove completely from the subterranean formation, which can leave a residue in the subterranean formation. This residue may permanently reduce the permeability of the formation (e.g., between about 5% and about 40% and in some instances a 100% permanent reduction in permeability). In turn, the production of hydrocarbons, and thereby profitability of the well, may be reduced.